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Congress is back in session and apparently the Speaker has invited the President to give a report on the State of the Union.
There seems to be a high confidence level that the two sides will be able to work out a deal that extends the payroll tax cut and the UEI benefits (perhaps with some changes) for the remainder of 2012.
The president has taken a definitive position on the Keystone XL pipeline project, or rather he has decided that he cannot approve it right now, but left the door open to changing his mind in the future, as he tries not to disappoint or alienate either the environmentalists or the construction unions with a final, final decision.
But beyond that, we may be setting ourselves up for disappointment if we are expecting any significant legislation or policy changes to be accomplished prior to the November elections.
The president is in full campaign mode and the Republican primaries continue and these two factors will be the driving factors in any legislation (moor or major) that gets done in the next nine months.
Democrats, who run the Senate, and Republicans, who control the House, acknowledge that outside of the payroll tax cut bill no major legislation is expected to make it through Congress this year.
However, each party promises a series of bills to advance what it thinks the public wants from Capitol Hill in response to the weak economy.
For both sides, these efforts will be more about political messaging than actually legislating because few, if any, are likely to become law
The president’s “recess” appointments (whether there really was a recess has been discussed in great detail already on newsvine and other sites) did little to ease the tensions between the White House and the Congress or between the Republicans and the Democrats.
It is unlikely that there will appointments confirmed during this legislative session as few appointments are typically confirmed during presidential election years, which means that recess appointments made by President Obama will end at the conclusion of the Congressional session and the approximate 180 appointments awaiting consideration by the Senate.
The Republicans will be introducing (and passing them in the House of Representatives) bills designed to expand domestic energy production and to improve infrastructure around the country, but neither the Democratic Senate nor the White House is expected to support these measures.
The opposition will be portrayed by the Republicans (in the House and on the campaign trail) as President Obama opposing the bills for political reasons at the expense of what is right for the American people.
"The House is going to continue to work hard to produce results for small businesses, working families and middle class Americans," one House GOP aide told CNN.
"If the president wishes to ignore Congress and play political games, that's his decision, but by doing so he will own the gridlock," the aide said
There will be a lot of campaigning, by both parties, throughout the year as the continued control of the House of Representatives by the Republicans and the shift in control of the Senate to the Republicans will both be in play in the November elections.
Senate Republicans feel more confident they can win control of their chamber, especially after the retirements of several key Democratic senators in states that lean Republican.
Right now the Democrats hold a 53-47 advantage. But Democrats are defending 23 seats this year while Republicans are working to hold just 10.
The bottom line for “we the people” is that we can expect little meaningful legislation to be enacted and little governing to occur in Washington this year, as both activities would conflict with the main focus of the President and the members of Congress which campaigning for reelection.
Your comments, counterpoints and remarks are welcome and appreciated.
